Hitches for securing trailers and other hitchable apparatuses, such as bike racks and cargo carriers for example, are well known in the automotive industry. The presence of such apparatuses, potentially affects the performance or operation of an automobile. For example, characteristics such as braking and acceleration may be altered due to the size or weight of the apparatus. Current passenger vehicles have many automated systems (e.g., cruise control, autonomous braking, etc.), which are configured with respect to the default or expected operating characteristics of the passenger vehicle. These automated systems may not consider the added size or weight of a hitched trailer or other apparatus, which may lead to less efficient performance of the passenger vehicle.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a system for a passenger vehicle that detects and/or reacts to the presence of a trailer or other hitched apparatus.